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Propane Odor - Fixed


FredNewell

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Recently we took a trip. Before the trip we filled the propane bottle. We turned the propane on to light the water heater. My wife smelled propane in the coach. We turned the propane off (at the tank).

Then, for several days, I turned the propane on only for the time it took to heat the hot water tank, then shut it back off.

After returning home, I realized that I was only opening the tank valve a full turn or two. The valve must be fully opened against it's backseat in order to not have propane odors.

Fully open - no odors. Fully shut - no odors. Parially open - yes odor.

I'm just writting this down in case it helps someone else.

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Sorry, I'm not too sure about that. I've been to a few propane safety courses where I was told that an open propane valve should be left loose, so that anyone can immediately tell if it's open. No thinking about "righty-tighty" in a possible panic situation. Loose means open. I don't think it should leak if it's loose.

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When I worked as an engineer on a big sailing schooner out of Seattle, the retiring engineer gave me a good tip that I've always used since. When a valve is opened all the way against its stop, back it off a quarter turn (or less) so that there is never any confusion as to whether or not the valve is open or shut all the way. If a valve is closed all the way, you'll know its closed because its tight against its stop.

John

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Hi John, I was a Navy steam plant operator and mechanic way long ago - we were taught to back off a quarter turn as stated. There were some types of valves that were to be opened firmly against their backseat in order to preclude leakage at the valve stem. It has been so long now that I don't recall all of the specifics, but generally you are correct.

If a valve is to be opened firm against it's backseat, it should only be 2-finger tight, not hand tight. It went bad for anyone who opened and backseated with force because the next operator couldn't "check" the valve open or closed when performing operational line-ups.

For sure, most of the valves we operate on a day to day basis, like the hose-bib water valve we take on domestic water (where the garden hose is fed), should be backed off a quarter turn.

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Recently we took a trip. Before the trip we filled the propane bottle. We turned the propane on to light the water heater. My wife smelled propane in the coach. We turned the propane off (at the tank).

Then, for several days, I turned the propane on only for the time it took to heat the hot water tank, then shut it back off.

After returning home, I realized that I was only opening the tank valve a full turn or two. The valve must be fully opened against it's backseat in order to not have propane odors.

Fully open - no odors. Fully shut - no odors. Parially open - yes odor.

I'm just writting this down in case it helps someone else.

That's not the way it supposed to be when the valve-stem packing is not worn. It seems your's is. Just about any rotary-actuated valve, regardless if for gas, gasoline, air, or water - has double sealing when all the way open against the stop. When only partially open - all the sealing is done by the packing on the stem on the valve. YES . it usually advised to open a valve all-the-way when using so you get that double-seal. NO to your's normally leaking though when partially open. When in proper condition - it will NOT leak. Your stem packing is worn. On some set-ups there is an adjustable packing gland nut that can be tightened to take up for wear. That's mostly on older stuff or water valves though.

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post-7621-0-08081200-1410889558_thumb.jp

Ours is a fairl new valve that came with the bottle. Not much we can do about stem packing leaks. I think it came that way.

Here's an attachment/sketch of the propane valve. There are o-rings for packing, and there is a note stating to backseat the valve.

The main reason I started this thread was to pass on a lesson. In our case, if the valve is not backseated, then there is an odor. The solution to a propane odor is treat it like a leak, and solve the problem for safety. Even though the "leak" is outside in a sealed and vented compartment, we could still smell it.

We had a neighbor blow up their fifth wheel prowler back in the day, while they were sleeping. I have a photo somewere if anyone wants to see it. It looks like a bomb went off - sticks and aluminum structure everywhere.

Jim, does your propane valve leak past the packing when not backseated?

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from my experience that should not leak at all . back seating it is for shure a safty check. I got a hold of an old tank a while back had that problem and I got rid of it. if I was you I would talk to a Gas service plant.

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